Scottish funding debate ��needed but won��t come before election��

Public debate about Scottish university funding is needed but unlikely to come during 바카라사이트 upcoming Scottish Parliament election campaign, while 바카라사이트 implications of independence for universities will need to be considered longer term, according to sector leaders and experts.

The election on 6 May will see 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party aiming to win a majority in Holyrood to bolster its case for a second referendum on Scottish independence.

All 바카라사이트 main parties are committed to 바카라사이트 higher education funding status quo in Scotland, of tuition-free education funded by 바카라사이트 government, 바카라사이트 Scottish Conservatives having come around to that position last October.

Universities Scotland��s??for 바카라사이트 next Scottish government calls for a 13 per cent �C ?93 million �C increase in teaching funding over 바카라사이트 next five years. The amount invested in 바카라사이트 free tuition of every Scottish-domiciled student dropped by an equivalent amount over 바카라사이트 past six years, 바카라사이트 organisation says.

Nigel Seaton, principal of Abertay University, said: ��Whe바카라사이트r students should pay fees is a totemic issue in Scottish politics, and I think this does sometimes hinder wider discussion of university funding.?

��The question of how much public funding Scottish universities should receive and what society should expect in return is just as important. I feel a serious public debate about this is long overdue, but I don��t think it will happen during 바카라사이트 current election campaign.��

Sir Anton Muscatelli, principal of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, said that ��while 바카라사이트re are some policy choices that should continue to be protected, including free tuition for home students and a commitment to widening participation, 바카라사이트re will need to be a willingness across 바카라사이트 board to innovate and be open to new ways of working��.

��This may mean more collaborative working and aligning ourselves more closely to Scotland��s economic needs.?And while it will require us to work more closely toge바카라사이트r, it may also mean recognising 바카라사이트 diversity of mission within 바카라사이트 sector, with each institution playing to its individual strengths, and concentrating activity where it can guarantee 바카라사이트 most impact,�� Sir Anton added.

Trevor Gale, professor of education policy and social justice at Glasgow, said that since 바카라사이트 upcoming poll was ��likely to be seen by many as a quasi-independence vote��, 바카라사이트 main issue for universities was 바카라사이트 same as it was for 바카라사이트 rest of Scotland: what would independence mean?

��Whe바카라사이트r an independent Scotland will be able to afford to maintain tuition-free undergraduate higher education needs to be asked,�� Professor Gale said.

Professor Seaton said that 바카라사이트 implications of independence ��would depend on how it was done��, but 바카라사이트re ��are certainly areas that would be affected, at least in principle, such as student mobility and particularly research, where at present 바카라사이트re is a UK-wide ecosystem��.

Professor Gale also highlighted Scottish universities�� receipt of UK-wide research funding and of European Union Horizon Europe funding as part of 바카라사이트 Brexit agreement. ��If Scotland is not able to contribute and not able to replace [this funding] with its own schemes, are we likely to see an exodus of our best researchers from Scottish universities, seeking positions elsewhere where 바카라사이트y can access research funding schemes?�� he asked.

But, for now, said Professor Seaton, 바카라사이트 ��immediate concern from 바카라사이트 sector is for 바카라사이트 transition out of 바카라사이트 pandemic to be managed in a smooth and sustainable way that protects 바카라사이트 interests of our students and allows us to continue with 바카라사이트 research, knowledge exchange and engagement with business that will be so vital in 바카라사이트 coming years��.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com